A BMI survey has found that directors of international offices at Brazilian universities are expecting the number of students paying for overseas degree programmes will increase. This has been attributed to competitive national educational institutions and the large growth of the Brazilian middle class.

As study-work policies fluctuate in key study destinations, internships are becoming an effective and popular way for students to gain valuable on-the-job experience. To varying degrees, countries and private providers are developing strategies to enhance the role of internships within study abroad and as a stand-alone international experience. Katie Duncan reports.

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has announced the government will extend funding for scholarships in the second phase of its scientific mobility programme, Ciência sem Fronteiras. From 2015, 100,000 more scholarships will be available for a year of undergraduate study in STEM fields.

Two British ministers are visiting Brazil, Mexico and Colombia this week in a bid to increase the low levels of academic exchange with these countries. Despite its vast population Brazil sent just 1,340 students to the UK in 2011-12. Colombia and Mexico sent 925 (45th) and 1,555 (32nd), again relatively low.

The Rt Hon Hugo Swire MP and the Rt Hon David Willetts MP were among guests at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in London this week to mark the achievements of Science without Borders UK (SwB UK); the Brazilian-government back scholarship programme that will see up to 10,000 Brazilians arrive in the country.

Pearson, describing itself as the "world's largest education company", hosted a targeted business insight event for the HE community this week, with government reps from the International Unit and new operation UKES among the industry experts.

Ireland has signed an agreement with Brazil that will bring 4,000 undergraduate students to Irish universities over the next four years under the Science Without Borders programme. Around 5,600 Brazilian students will be studying in Ireland by 2016.